Water Quality Assessment and Decolourisation of Contaminated Ex-Mining Lake Water Using Bioreactor Dye-Eating Fungus...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Ex-mining lakes face conversion pressures due to population growth, impacting their environmental conditions.
• Contaminated lake water requires efficient treatment methods to mitigate pollution and restore water quality.
• Ganoderma lucidum, a fungus, shows potential for effective contaminated water treatment, possibly in synergy with bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the water quality and water quality index (WQI) of Main Lake, an ex-mining lake in Selangor.
• To simulate the use of Malaysian Ganoderma lucidum in a BioDeF system for decolorizing contaminated lake water.

Main Methods:

• Water samples from Main Lake were analyzed for pH, color, and iron (Fe) content.
• The Malaysian fungus Ganoderma lucidum was used in a batch bioreactor (BioDeF system).
• The system was inoculated with 10% (v/v) of pre-grown Ganoderma lucidum pellets and operated for 48 hours.

Main Results:

• Main Lake water exhibited low pH (5.49 ± 0.1), high color intensity (874.67 ± 3.7 TCU), and elevated iron levels (3.2422 ± 0.2533 mg/L).
• The calculated water quality index (WQI) ranged from 54.59 to 57.44 (average 56.45), classifying the water as Class III (under-polluted) by Malaysian DOE standards.
• The BioDeF system using Ganoderma lucidum achieved over 90% reduction in water color.

Conclusions:

• Ganoderma lucidum is a viable and eco-friendly biosorbent for decolorizing contaminated ex-mining lake water.
• The BioDeF system demonstrates high efficiency in color removal, suggesting its potential for wastewater treatment.
• The easy availability, cultivation, and non-toxic nature of Ganoderma lucidum make it an attractive option for sustainable water remediation.